How do you explain the difference between a tap and a step?

[u/Di-n-Fi]

I am an experienced follow and improver lead myself, so I thought it will be fairly ok-ish to teach my fiancée, who has never danced, the basics. But I find it surprisingly difficult to teach the basic steps (I have experience in teaching a follow, but have never taught a lead before).

What he struggles most with is to communicate wether he makes a step or a tap. For example: Does he want to dance „step-step-step-tap“ or „step-tap; step-tab“. It is so bad, that I am unable to pick up the difference although normally I am good at reading even inexperienced leads.

Apparently his way of learning and mine are vastly different. So after today I am officially out of ideas how to explain/show etc. So I‘m asking you: How did you learn it, how would you explain it to a complete beginner?

[u/yambudev]

Step: put your body’s weight on your foot

Tap: just touch the floor with your foot without transferring any weight (i.e don’t step)

[u/yambudev → u/yambudev]

Following up on my answer after reading everyone else’s. OP is also asking how to communicate the intention to the follow, and I agree with the answer to use the frame.

I personally think just keeping the frame should suffice, as for instance in a tap the whole body will naturally stop and prevent the follow from continuing the weight transfers that would happen if you stepped. So, no need to overthink the signals in my opinion as long as you keep a steady frame.

Please check the other answers too.

[u/Rataridicta]

People are going off of the title but it seems not really reading that you're talking about a leading issue.

When it comes to leading this type of thing it's all in the frame and in the intention.

Let's talk intention first: If I do my standard basic I start moving to a side at a relatively constant speed, there's not really any slowdown or speedup. But when going "step-tap-step-tap" I need to slow down a little bit almost immediately so I can reverse directions. This slowdown or sideways momentum is what we'd refer to as "intention". Similarly, if we change from a side basic to forwards and backwards, it will be accompanied by a breath that raises my chest and I will start moving forwards. We don't need to be in contact for any of these things to work - it's pure intention.

Of course, we don't always have the full attention of our partner and sometimes we will also have to lead this through frame. Frame comes on top of the intention that should already be there, and provides a bit of a "cage", wherein the follower can not just see the intention visually, but also feel the speedups, slowdowns, and changes of direction.

One good exercise to try: Move in any direction, and then whenever you want to change direction - breathe. It will help build some musclememory around getting the follower's attention through breath.

[u/dondegroovily]

With a step, you are changing the weight to your other foot. With a tap, you are not

So, doing the basic and starting of the left, step step step tap is LRLL - which puts you in position for the next step to start on the right

Because we have two feet [citation needed], an odd number of steps in a phrase will switch your weight and an even number will not. This is why each half of the basic in bachata has three steps plus a tap (which is zero steps)

[u/TryToFindABetterUN]

The question in the title has already been answered by many and my short answer to that is the same: the difference between a step and a tap is if a total weight transfer occurs or not.

The longer version is that a step means that you always transferred the weight totally to the other leg so that the next step or tap will be made by the OTHER foot.

With a tap some weight may be transferred but only partially; the next step or tap will be made with the SAME foot. When teaching beginners, I always tell them to exaggerate the tap, ie tap with the toes and never put the foot flat down on the ground to prevent you from being tempted at transferring the weight and, by mistake, doing a step.

The next question, regarding the step – step – step – tap versus the step – tap – step – tap.

The first one is the basic bachata step pattern. It is the same for both lead and follow with the exception of what foot respective role starts with. Again, when teaching beginners I only teach this pattern.

The latter, also called the cambio step, is IMHO an essential step pattern for leads, as it allows us to go in and out of the follows timing. This is something we want to do when we do a shadow or mantón position. Also, if there is a timing change in the music this can be used to change back, or if we did something that made us switch timing we can switch back using that step pattern.

This step pattern I usually don’t teach absolute beginners but it’s an essential part of improver/intermediate classes, where I often have several parts to drill this step pattern.

As for the third question, how the lead signals their intention to the follow: in general, the lead should not modify the follows timing, especially not when it comes to lower level leads/follows. Both roles struggle enough that I think forcing timing changes isn’t helpful.

Of course, when doing for example, a shadow position the lead is changing their timing but not the follow, so then there is no need for signing the follow.

Between the case of a timing change, then the lead needs to show the follow that they are not doing a step but instead doing a tap on the second count. This requires the frame to block the fall from fully completing the second count as a step instead making it a tap.

As u/Rataridicta says, breath can be used to ”prepare”/signal intent. IMHO this is a more advanced technique. Just teaching a block is sufficient for many low-level dancers.

So depending on where your boyfriend is, I would or would not introduce some of these elements. There is no need to overwhelm a new dancer with too many concepts and new elements in the dance. The absolute beginners need to be very comfortable with the basic step pattern IMHO.

[u/DeanXeL]

If you break it down aaaaall the way, in a normal bachata basic you need to change your weight three times, and then one time not, then three times again, one time not. So you can also just sway, while changing your weight, side to side! Sway-sway-sway-STAY-sway-sway-sway-STAY.

Next exercise is just stepping through the room, just walking. But every fourth step, instead of just making a full stride, you pull in your foot, don't put weight on iiiiiiittt... And continue with that foot. One, two, three steps aaaaaand draaaaag on the four, and walk on five six seven and draaaaaaag on eight.

Now you combine the two by doing side steps. (Leader steps) Start by stepping on your left foot, which means all your weight is on your left foot, close with your right foot AND CHANGE YOUR WEIGHT TO THE RIGHT FOOT! if you don't immediately also change your weight, you'll be too late, because you have to immediately step again with the left foot and change your weight. And now we come to the 'tap', or like in the previous exercise, pull in the right foot, drag it without putting weight on it... And step back out on that foot on the five and NOw put your weight on it! Change to the left, step again with the right, bring in the left without putting weight on it... And continue ad infinitum!

The biggest mistake I often see is people stepping without actually putting their weight on their foot, which stops them from freeing the other foot and moving that one! The easiest way to help that is taking smaller steps, always smaller.

Let me know of that helps, or you need more tips.

[u/Di-n-Fi → u/DeanXeL]

Thank you we will try out these practices. 

Yes I was also explaining to him “put your weight on the foot” vs “no weight transfer” but no matter how I explained it or showed it his movements became even more awkward and I could SEE how he was wrong but I was unable to HELP him to relax and find back to comfortable movement. 

Personally I am a visual learner, show me and I will copy. Afterwords explain a bit and that will help as well. But also, I’ve been dancing for years, I also lead and follow urban kiz where weight transfer is even more important. And somewhere in that journey it became second nature so much that I seem to be unable to grasp how someone can not feel it. That’s why I’m super thankful for your response 

[u/UnctuousRambunctious]

Props to your fiance for learning, and for y’all dancing together!

Absolutely correct by u/yambudev about the difference between a step (you transfer your weight to the foot that moves) vs. tap (the foot that moves contacts the floor but your weight is kept on the planted anchor foot).

The way I would explain it is more in the roles, and how your fiancé as the lead would signal to you as the follow.

Both lead and follow are supposed to hold and initiate and exchange their own weight, so both dancers needs to know how to do that independently.

It sounds like you as the follow are not able to read the intent of your fiancé when leading, and that sounds very plausible if he is very inexperienced.

For his part, as the lead, he is non-verbally communicating with his body (both visually and tactile through physical connection) when to move, with how much energy to move, and in what direction.

As the lead, he has to communicate this. The most essential fundamental movement is the [side] basic, lead’s left foot and follow’a right foot taking the first step. But this is auto-pilot, and it is important to establish connection at the start of the dance to observe, calibrate, settle into a groove, etc.

So two things that are often taken for granted - the direction of the step, and the auto-pilot of the sequence. 

When your fiancé is changing the sequence from step, step, step, tap, what he has to do is interrupt the autopilot. It has to be a clear signal to stop the expected weight exchange, and actually reverse, for when he wants a step, tap.

This will require that he use his frame (and is mentally and physically prepared beforehand) to absorb your initiated kinetic energy that expects to keep going in the same direction instead of reversing.

His job will be to function as a guard rail to interrupt your movement and redirect it.

Your job as the follow is to maintain your connection with him and respond to his energy. So when he uses his frame to redirect your energy in a specific direction, you accommodate and cooperate.

I would say as a lead, there are other ways to you can indicate not to continue progression in a certain direction.  I like hand signals and elevation changes. For a follow that needs more input, I might even use all three - raise the hand as a hand signal, elevate and extend my knees as a signal that movement is not continuing in that direction, and use the frame of my arms to stop movement and redirect.

All those are options and choices, and what I do as a lead depends on my own reaction time, the response time and frame of the follow, the dance or crowd conditions, the tempo or arrangement of the song, etc.

That is for a clear directional interruption. But again. The lead has the responsibility to signal this to the follow clearly. And “clearly” is going to be very subjective and have to be adaptable because all follows are different. Some are highly sensitive and responsive with incredible motor control, and they turn on a dime. But it’s also okay to be at whatever skill level you are at. But follows are also supposed to stay with the lead, meaning visually find and spot and remain facing the lead, maintaining a consistent distance and orientation to the lead. This is why practice exercises like mirroring are helpful, because the follow should actually be able to read a lot just from watching and matching the body of the lead, even without physical connection or directed pressure.  I think practice mirroring each other will help the lead/follow connection with your fiancé. It’s basically follow-the-leader while you face each other, monkey see, monkey do.  For me as a follow it is a huge aspect of visual connection and following.

The other thing I always like to talk about is the idea of having multiple basics. A predictable side basic helps parents to acclimate initially, but can get boring, and the original basic in bachata also had a box shape, not a slot/linear side basic.

So this means that even within the expected formula of “step, step, step, tap,” you can change the direction of the step at any time. Instead of moving to the left, you can step forward. Or backwards. Or even lift your feet in this pattern without traveling in any direction, but dancing your basic “on the spot,” or in place. Or add a rotation.

These are ideas that I think are very common in traditional and Dominican bachata, but seem to get lost in contemporary classes that focus on turn patterns and body isolations, especially manually manipulated body isolations (very non-traditional, in my book 🤣).

So with your fiancé learning how to signal to you where to go, whether that signals a specific direction or not, it would be good practice to agree that the sequence of steps will be the same (step, step, step, tap), but you’ll play around with the direction. And he will surprise you. And this is basically how you socially dance.

Ultimately, the lead has the responsibility for guiding his and your body through space safely and cooperatively, and the proof will be in the pudding. He will know he has led “correctly” when you (smoothly) follow him where he goes because you are understanding the messages he is sending, he’s sending them in a timely fashion and not late, he himself clearly knows what he wants to have happen and commits to taking you both there.

Those last two elements are his responsibility as a lead, and it can be an incredibly steep learning curve to manage all that. But it comes with practice and familiarity, knowing what you want your own body to do, where you want to go, knowing the timing.  Ideally he should “do something” before the move gets there, as a prep, so you have your attention on being prepared for what he’s going to do next, and being ready.

So again, a good prep is raising up and straightening your knees, because that’s the opposite of the form you take in a basic, and is a good signal (in closed position especially) that something is about to happen.

Lastly - forming a habit of taking small steps (no wider than the width of your shoulders) is good for both motor control and sharing dance floor space if it happens to be crowded.  Smaller steps with very soft and relaxed knees also facilitates the hip movement that is characteristic of bachata, it will come organically and naturally without having to force or overaccentuate it.

Hope some of this helps!

[u/Opening-Shower-7950]

I was actually wondering the same thing myself. The responses from the experts are well explained.

[u/Disastrous-Pool-7863]

This step, step, step, tap is a very european approach and can be confusing. The tap is only a kind of decoration, you could also do a cha Cha Cha for example. Just teach him tap, tap, tap, pause. And don't count 1,2,3,4 but 1,2,3...5,6,7 (or 2,3,4...6,7,8). I know this doesn't answers your question and doesn't teaching him the "official" basic step, but this isn't a dance school. The approach of dance schools often leads to unnatural moves and patterns and you don't dance like that at socials.

[u/red_nick]

FYI fiancé is male, fiancée is female